Drain flushing apparatus



Feb.'24, 1942. A. J. MATTER DRAIN FLUSHING APPARATUS Filed sept. so, 1940 Patented Feb. 24, 1942 DRAIN FLUSHING APPARATUS Albert J. Matter, Parkk Ridge, Ill. Application September 30, 1940, Serial No. 359,169

(cl. 1 -25s) Y s claims.

My invention relates to apparatus for flushing clogged drains, as for example the drains of sinks,v employingy the use of the water supply commonly associated with the sinks.

My objects are to provide a novel, simple and inexpensive construction of flushing apparatus adapted to use the service water pressure, and by which the flushing operation may be satisfactorily performed; to provide a construction of flushing apparatus which shall `be adapted `for use in flushing drains, `regardless of the variations in the horizontal distances between the drains and the water faucets associated therewith, as commonly occur particularly in the case of kitchen sinks; to' provide against objectionable spurting of the water when the drain is so badly clogged that `the person using the 'apparatus cannot exert sufcient force to maintain theseal between the apparatus and the drain; to provide a drain flushing appara-tus operating in connection with water under pressure by which ythe apparatus may be manipulated to, and held in, sealing relation to the drain by one hand of the operator leaving his other hand free tol control rthe water-faucet-valve; and other objects as will be manifest from the` following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 vis a View in sectional elevation showing a kitchen sink and my drain ushing apparatus applied to operative positionrelative to the water vfaucet of the sink and the drain thereof.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary partly sectional view of the faucet-outlet and the portion of my drain flusher associated with the faucet.

AFigure 3 is a similar view of the drain portion of the sink and the portion of my drain flusher associated with this drain portion.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary View of a v strut forming a part of the drain flushing apparatus, this part being viewed on the line 4 on Fig. l and in the direction of the arrow; and

Figure 5, an enlarged detail sectional view of the vent-equipped portion of the bell member of. the apparatus and the sealing ring associated therewith showing the parts in venting position.

The apparatus shown comprises, in general, three principal parts, a conduit 5 comprising a length of hose G, a socket connection I at one endV of the hose vt for positioning the conduit 5 on the outlet oi a water-faucet and a hollow head 8f, shown as of bell shape, at the opposite end of the hose 6 and adapted to be applied to the drain of the sink and entirely cover it.- andy lever section 9 which engagesv at one end with thev socket-connection I for holding the latter tightly in engagement' with the faucet; and a strut l0 on which the lever 9 is fulcrumed between its` ends and bearing at its lower end againstI the head 8, whereby when force is applied by the operator downwardly against the outer end of the lever 9\,the. connection 'I will be forced up.- wardly against the faucet and the head 8 will be forced downwardly against the bottom of the sink at itsv drain.

The socket connection 'I is of tubular form having a socket; Il, in itsv upper end, affording a seat I2 on which a cup-gasket I3 lining the socket.V

. by a hose clamp I'I.

make a sealed..watertight joint therewith; a G5 The hollow head 8 is provided with a lower bell portion I8 of a diameter at its lower open end greater than that of the drain to which it is to be applied, the lower edge of the bell portion I8 terminating in a ldepending endless flange t9-y shown as of curved shaped in cross section. The

upper portion of the bell I8 is spherically convexed as shown at 20.

The upper portion 2| of the head 8, shown as of tubular form, is adapted for connection with the lower end of thehose G as by means of the hose clamp 22.

The head also includes a ring 23 of resilient material, as for example soft rubber, preferably of circular shape in cross section, positioned within the mouth of the bell portion I8 and confined therein by the flange I9, the ring 23 being of a diameter sufficientv to surround the drain to which the. conduit is to be applied.

The strut Ill is shown asin the form of a bar having an upwardly opening slot 24 in its upper end and provided at its lower end with a lug 25 having an opening Z5 in which the tubular portion 2l of the head 8 loosely extends.l The underside of the `wall surrounding the opening 26 is spherically concaved as indicated at 21 to conformingly t the spherically convexed surfacesurface of, the wall of the opening ,28 beingY spherically concaved as represented at 29 to conformingly fit the convexed surface I6 of the socket connection 1.

The forked upper end of the strut I straddles the lever 9 which latter is provided with a series of notches 30 into any one of which the strut may be positioned.

In the drawing I have shown my apparatus as associated with a kitchen sink the drain of which is to be ushed; the sink proper being shown at 3|, its drain at 32, and the water service faucet at 33, the conduit 5 being connected at its socket connection 'I with the outlet 34 of the faucet and the head 8 positioned over the drain 32.

As will be understood, the drain 32 is flushed by the water pressure from the faucet directed through the conduit 5, the conduit being held to the faucet and against the bottom of the sink in a position to surround the drain, by the operator pressing down on the outer end of the lever 9 which exerts an upward thrust on the socket connection I and, through the strut I0, a downward thrust on the head 8. This operation requires the use of one hand only of the operator, leaving the other hand free to manipulate the faucet valve as desired.

The loose connection between the lever 9 and the socket connection 1 and between the strut l 9 and the head 8 and the provision of the intertting spherically concaved and convexed surfaces on these parts as described, permits of the application of the desired force to the socket connection 1 and the head 8 and in the desired straight line direction, without cramping of the parts which might prevent the making and maintaining of the desired tight joints between the faucet and the drain.

The lever 9 being adapted for adjustable fulcruming on the strut l0, the notches 30 holding the lever in adjusted position, permits of the positioning of the strut in the desired vertical position regardless of variations in the horizontal distances between the drains and the water faucets associated therewith.

As will be understood, the pressure within the conduit 5 tending to unseat the head 8 from the drain is relatively great where the drain is badly clogged and the service water pressure is relatively great as is usually the case. If the pressure exerted by the operator for holding the head 8 sealed against the drain is not sufiicient to overcome this internal pressure the water will spurt uncontrollably out of the lower end of the conduit and into the room and against the operator unless provision is made for so controlling this released pressure as to avoid this objection. This I have provided for in my apparatus by providing for the automatic venting of such excess internal pressure in a way to discharge it into the sink without splashing or dashing it in the uncontrolled fashion incident to the use of the apparatus when unprovided with such automatic venting means.

As a preface to the following description of the illustrated, preferred, automatic venting means, it may be stated that it has been found in practice that, when the water pressure in the conduit 5 exceeds the force required tohold the conduit in sealed relation to the drain, the head 8 rises from the ring i9 thereby breaking the seal between the head and ring and permitting of the venting of the excess internal pressure in an uncontrolled fashion frcm the conduit. Recognizing that such action occurs I provide in the head 8 one or more vent-openings, the device shown having two such openings represented at 35, in the ange in such position as to be closed by the ring 23 as shown in Fig. 3 when the apparatus is in use and the pressure within the conduit 5 does not exceed the force being applied by the operator and holding the conduit 5 against the bottom of the sink, but be opened as shown in Fig. 5 for venting the conduit when the head rises from the ring 23 in response to the excess pressure in the conduit as above referred to as shown in this figure.

The vents, provided in any suitable way, are shown as formed by slitting the metal of the rim 8 and outwardly deecting the metal adjacent thereto, as represented at 35, to form similar channels one of which is shown at 31, open at 35, and extending upwardly across the ring 23.

The vent passages provided preferably as stated incline downwardly and outwardly and thus the excess internal water pressure vented therethrough is directed downwardly against the bottom of the sink which avoids the objectionable throwing of the water about the room and against the operator.

It may be further stated that to use the apparatus the conduit is applied to operative position and pressure applied through the lever 9, and while continuing this pressure, the operator gradually turns on the Water at the faucet. Should the drain be so completely clogged that the water pressure built up in the conduit 5 exceeds that which may be conteracted by the force which the operator is able to apply through the lever 9, the vents 35 will become automatically opened and the excess pressure thereby dissipated. The apparatus thus automatically functions to vent the conduit 5 regardless of the amount of force which the operator is able to exert against the lever 9, when such force is not sufficient to counteract the built-up pressure in the conduit.

While I have illustrated and described a par ticular embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto, as the same may be variously modied and altered and the invention embodied in other forms of apparatus without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Drain-flushing apparatus comprising a conduit adapted at one end to be applied to a water faucet and at its other end to be applied to a position in which it covers the drain of a receptacle, said last-referred-to end comprising a substantially bell-shaped hollow rigid member and a resilient ring at its lower open end adapted to conform to the drain and means for forcing said conduit into sealing engagement with the faucet and engaging said rigid member for forcing said ring against the receptacle at its drain` said means having swivel connection with said rigid member.

2. Drain-flushing apparatus comprising a conduit adapted at one end to be applied to a water faucet and at its other end to be applied to a position in which it covers the drain of a receptacle, a strut operating when forced downwardly to force said conduit against the receptacle at its drain, and a lever having a notch into which said strut extends fulcruming said lever on said strut, said lever engaging said conduit for forcing said conduit into sealing engagement with the faucet.

3. Diain-ushing apparatus comprising a conduit adapted at one end to be applied to a Water faucet and at its other end to be applied to a position in which it covers the drain of a receptacle, a strut operating when forced downwardly to force said conduit against the receptacle at its drain, and a lever having a notch into which said strut extends fulcruming said lever on said strut, said lever engaging said conduit for forcing said conduit into sealing engagement with the faucet, said lever being adapted for fulcruming on said strut at different positions along said lever.

4. Means for flushing drains comprising a conduit for communication at its opposite ends with a water faucet and a drain to be flushed, respectively, and automatically operating means for Venting Water pressure Within said conduit through a Wall of said conduit when the water pressure in said conduit exceeds the pressure seating the conduit in position over the drain.

5. Means for ushing drains comprising a conduit for communication at its opposite ends With a Water faucet and a drain to be flushed, respectively, and automatically operating means for Venting water pressure Within said conduit through a Wall of said conduit in a direction toward the bottom of the receptacle having the drain when the Water pressure in said conduit exceeds the pressure seating the conduit in position over thevdrain.

6.y Means for flushing drains comprising a conduit for communication at its opposite ends with a Water faucet and a drain to be flushed, respectively, and having a resilient ring at the end thereof to be applied to the drain and extending into said conduit, whereby water pressure in the conduit, in excess of the pressure seating the conduit in position over the drain, lifts the conduit relative to the ring, said conduit having a Vent opening controlled by said ring and through which such excess water pressure vents, said vent opening directing the vented Water pressure toward the bottom of the receptacle.

8. Drain-flushing apparatus comprising a conduit adapted at one end to be applied to a Water faucet and at its other end to be applied to a position in which it covers the drain of a receptacle, means for forcing said conduit into sealing engagement with the faucet and against the receptacle at its drain, and automatically operating means for venting water pressure Within said conduit through a wall of said conduit when the Water pressure in said conduit exceeds the pressure seating the conduit in position over the drain.

ALBERT J. MA'I'IER. 

